CHAPTER 4: THE PATH TO SUCCESS

The lyca system is a system that helps improve his magical affinity, especially considering he had so few just a couple of weeks ago. The system is structured in that for every exercise he does, he gains experience points times two therefore increasing not only his Navitas power levels but also being able to be stronger in fighting monsters and other enemies. But the bigger problem isn't his power levels but mostly his life.

Asani is a dual user and one of the elements he can use is the dark element, which when not controlled well, can consume and therefore suck out the life energy of the individual. To set a balance to both his fire and dark magic capabilities, Asani now has to increase his magical affinity and improve his Navitas power.

This is where the lyca system comes in. The system then tells Asani he needs to make it possible by increasing his favorability scale. His life has a time limit which is 50 days remaining before he dies.

If he can get people to appreciate him, and his inventions and support him towards his quest. His favorability scale increases and if that happens then his life is spared and he can hope to balance both his dual magic and also help in increasing his magic affinity. This is why he is showing the plans for his inventions to Abedi and Mabel. From the game, he remembered that Adventures always get some of their magic items from Abedi the artificer. He knows full well of Abedi's capabilities, and that he needs someone like him as a mentor in getting to be an inventor.

At first Abedi is doubtful of Asani's invention. Mabel though sees potential in the invention but she still has doubts, considering it's Asani the con artist of the Advena tribe, a title given to him by mostly adventures and the name got stuck, which is something he needs to change quickly or he may not see his twenties.

"How exactly are you sure that this goblin repellant will chase away the goblins?" Mabel asked curiously.

"We know goblins hate the smell of Nutmeg and don't like to eat it as it is poison to them, right?" Asani answered with a question

"Yes, we know this," Mabel answered, your point being?

"Well, what if we use my device where we can spray the nutmeg in liquid form," Asani stated presenting his argument, rather than spreading it in powered form especially across the farmlands or on our doorstep.

"That could work young man, but you still haven't solved the big problem," Abedi retorted, and that is the Nutmeg itself."

Asani then stated to both Mabel and Abedi that he knows a part of the forest where there are trees that produce a lot of Nutmeg and that he can get them. He also stated that he could gather the many seeds from the fruit and then tell the farmers to plant them on their farms. Thus, becoming easier to deal with the goblins.

This can also mean that instead of the strength of the border soldiers and knights combined with adventures who sometimes lose their lives and some adventures even leaving the town, the nutmeg being grown would change all that and make the town safer. Asani then asks Mabel and Abedi for their help and that the project can only succeed if they're a part of it. Abedi told Asani that his project was a pipe dream and Mabel had no choice but to agree.

Asani left disappointed and his favorability scale is negative. If it hits negative zero, his done for. But Asani in his previous life has always been told that his ideas are a pipe dream and that he will achieve nothing. This just motivated him to want to pursue the project himself.

The next day, Asani went to a secret place within the forest where he practised his magic. He first got the basics of how you can use magic, especially for domestic use. For you to use magic you have to focus on your central image and then reciprocate that image into reality. It's more about imagination rather than thought, Asani decided to use both and not only could he use fire magic to light up firewood but also use it to attack wildlife for food.

He then integrated his previous martial arts skills and combined them with the fundamentals of magic. That together with meditation made him within two weeks climb from the normal Connatus to level six Privatus. He has to be in at least level 6 Domnus in the next three months, because a goblin invasion controlled by the vampires is about to begin, and a lot of people will die as the result of the border guards and knights not protecting the weak point of the border walls.

Meanwhile, at the Yazid home, Jani is alone while the other kids are playing. Jani is considered an outsider by the other kids but is loved by the adult farmers within the community because of her kindness. The reason the kids are afraid of her and always bully her is because of her high affinity for magic.

She is a light magic user and also can use wind elements making her a dual user. But her imposing Magic affinity and Navita's energy repels most people outside the farmers' community away. Her light powers also make her see people's Navitas Auras, where everyone has different colours of light emanating internally or externally.

She doesn't use her magic because she is afraid, she will hurt someone or something. Previously her power was unstable and she almost killed a child with her wind powers. Because of this, she is afraid of using her powers.

Luckily the church of Lumen who has a group of apostles called the apostles of Lumen that go around the human kingdom, spreading the word and also healing people, arrived at the border town and stopped Jani's overflowing Navitas energy. But she was still afraid of using her power, especially after the incident. The only person who talks to her is her friend Elsie who is always quick to defend her friend especially when it comes to the kids who like to poke fun and bully Jani.

But things started to change when Asani stepped in to defend his sister. Something that he didn't do previously. The previous Asani always hated his sister especially when it came to her inaction. He always envied how his sister hard all that power and she doesn't use it.

He was envious of her high affinity for magic and how if he had that power, he could have been the most powerful. He would also tease and bully Jani until their mother came in her defense scolding him and punishing him. One thing Asani feared (at least the previous one) feared most was her mother's rage.

Jani was bullied by a troubled kid named August. He was always bragging about how powerful his fire magic was to the other kids and would always make fun of Jani. While playing with the other kids, Jani was busy helping her mother with the chores at home. She was then sent to fetch her father, because one of the representatives and friend of Jelani from the farmers guild was visiting, to give Jelani some terrible news. It was about the taxes that the mayor had imposed and that they hadn't that much produce to keep for the next famine that would arise.

When Jani went to fetch her father, she saw August playing with his five delinquent friends while he bragged about his fire magic and that's when she saw Jani who averted her eyes and decided to use another route to get to her father. But as she was turning around, she then gets caught by Jani's friends who start to bully her while throwing mad at her. Elsie then steps up and fights with the other boys as her water magic wasn't strong enough.

That's when Asani steps in. She sees Jani's knee is hurt and she is covered in mad. Jani sees her brother and then looks away with sadness as she expects Asani to walk away like he always does, but this time Asani steps up and slaps August so hard he falls to the ground, clenching his face while tears start to fall.

"w.. wh.. why would you slap me you snake?" August said in an angry crying voice.

"Why? You ask because I felt like it," Asani answered with a conceited yet sarcastic tone.

"Y..you stupid ugly snake, August squad attack him," August commanded, his a loser snake with little magic affinity.

"August squad, you really called your friends August squad," Asani replied while holding his laughter.

August's friends then tried to attack Asani with their fire powers only for them to be overpowered by Asani. He tripped one of the boys with a stick and his fire attack struck his other friend, which later caused a chain reaction and the boys injured themselves in the process. August then used his fire attack he called rapid fireballs, where he threw simultaneous fireballs. Asani then caught all of the fireballs and extinguished them.

August was shocked as Asani unleashed his dark Navitas energy. August fell in so much shock that he peed on himself. He then run away together with his friends who were also terrified. Jani noticed Asani's Navitas aura had a mix of different colours and she didn't understand why, and together with Elsie were shocked by Asani's actions. Realizing that Jani was hurt, Asani carried his sister and her friend back home.

At home, at the backyard of Yazid's residence Asani cleaned and attended to both Jani and her friend's injuries. Jani felt the sting of her wound as he applied it gently. Jani was shocked by Asani's behaviour and couldn't understand why the sudden change. Asani then started to apologise to his sister for the things he did to her in the past and promises to change. This made Jani start shading tears.

Elsie saw this and then got angry at Asani for making her sister cry. She then starts to lightly punch Asani by the shoulder Asani feels sad for what she did. Jani then came to her senses after realizing she was crying and then told Asani that she had already forgiven him.

"Favorability scale has risen at 3% positive, You have increased life expectancy at 120 days." Lyca system stated in a pop-up window.

"I wasn't even doing this for favorability, I just wanted to genuinely ask for her forgiveness," Asani thought.

Meanwhile her mother was hiding smiling while a tear fell down her chic. She thought her family was falling apart and didn't want, her family to be as broken as her family was. Just then Jelani came home with some food, some of which looked destroyed. Jelani then saw his friend Judas Naiponi, a member of the farmers guild and his neighbour and greeted him with glee like he always does.

"Is that you Jud how are you doing?" Jelani asked gleefully, you look fat, you gotta stop eating meat and drinking beer all the time.

"Don't you dare judge me Jela," Judas replied angrily you look like a Fat mvuma whale.

"I know right, those creatures are majestic just like me," Jelani replied laughing.

"Enough with you're antics Jela, I have bad news," Judas said in a serious tone, The mayor is adding more taxes for us farmers and says it's to help fund the border wars.

"by the gods Jud, he can't possibly do that, Jelani said in a worried tone, especially when the goblins have attacked our crops.

"That's why I'm here, we need to convince the rest of the farmers that we need to appeal this my friend," Jud stated vehemently. 

Lyca system then sends a message to Asani to increase his favorability, He has to make Judas like him and his plans and he might increase his life expectancy by an addition 100 days.

As the conversation continues, Asani decides to interrupt and apologise for doing saw. Judas who hates Asani tells him to buzz off and to not disrespect his elders. Asani still apologized to Judas and to his father who was surprised that Asani started to be polite to his elders. He was even more shocked previously as Asani would sometimes help with the farm and has never talked about being a merchant for a while.

"Mr Judas I understand you hate towards me, but I think I can help with your problem," Asani stated assertively.

"Jud my friend let the boy speak, he been of help since the accident," Jelani said in a pleading tone to his friend Let here what he has to say.

"Fine, but you better not con me, boy," Jud answered reluctantly.

That's when Asani presented his plan for protecting the farmland from the goblins and also came up with a way to help the farmers grow food that doesn't need that much water and also different techniques of irrigation without the use of water magic users, with the help of the artificers. Jelani heard this and he was surprised but very happy that his son was. So much smarter than he was. He even bear hugged him as he was smiling from ear to ear. Asani felt embarrassed at first but then he smiled for the first time because he remembered his father from his past. However, the happy moment was cut short as Judas told Asani that his plan wouldn't work.